Called to the Bar in 1997, Lorraine first qualified as a solicitor in 1999. As a solicitor, Lorraine ran an extremely demanding Employment and Immigration practice which involved all aspects of both areas of law and judicial review work. Lorraine was a participant in Liverpool Law Society committee work.
In 2002 Lorraine joined India Building Chambers and following a merger in 2013 she became part of St Johns Buildings Chambers. In April 2015 she joined Complete Counsel.
During her time in Chambers Lorraine’s practice has expanded into personal injury work followed by Professional Negligence.
Employment
Lorraine has specialised in Employment law from about 2000 onwards. This work is for both Respondents and Claimants, her work was both contentious and non-contentious covering all the usual areas such as the Equality Act, TUPE, ERA, Trade Unions and Health and Safety. Lorraine has appeared before the Employment Tribunal throughout the country and before the Employment Appeal Tribunal on multiple occasions. Lorraine has had her success reported in the press on several occasions. Lorraine’s client base has included the police, local authorities, national companies or organisations, charities, medical professionals as well as individuals on minimum wage or agency staff. In addition Lorraine has acted for individuals and Unions in Employment Tribunals across the country. Lorraine has excellent interpersonal skills and her professional but friendly approach is popular with lay clients
Lorraine can give training to national and local Employment law firms, and their client organisations.
National Health Service Trusts
Lorraine represents local NHS Trusts in employment disputes in the North West region. The largest case was over a period of three weeks and involved a large number of witnesses and claims of historical disability discrimination spanning several years. Procedurally it was complex as a result of significant adjustments to the Tribunal process.
North Wales Police
Lorraine represents the North Wales Police Force in relation to employment disputes within the region. Most recently in 2014/5 in relation to claims made by police officers of disability discrimination.
GMB trade Union
She represented the Union in multi-party claims for unlawful deductions of pay for over 100 employees in both the Employment Tribunal and the Employment Appeal Tribunal.
Individuals
Lorraine has represented a number of individuals in claims for unfair/constructive dismissal, discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, disability, age, race and sex.
Personal Injury
Lorraine represents Defendants and Claimants in personal injury claims from the Fast Track to the High Court.
Lorraine was a junior led by two Silks and was part of the Lead team, in turn instructed by the Lead solicitors in a case with over 40,000 claimants. The case was highly complex and exposed Lorraine to five years of group litigation experience.
Lorraine has also represented various Defendants including General Motors and individual claimants including actions against Police Forces such as the Metropolitan Police Force for psychological injuries caused by a number of years of bullying or harassment in the workplace.
Professional Negligence
Lorraine has spent a significant number of years gaining invaluable experience in the field of professional negligence and more specifically legal professional negligence. Lorraine represented over 10,000 claimants in claims of professional negligence against their former solicitors being heard in the High Court concluding in 2015.
Lorraine has advised in claims against Solicitors and Barristers alike.
She has successfully advised individuals in relation to professional financial negligence in claims against Lending institutions and Brokers.
Lorraine has advised individuals in relation to legal professional negligence in personal injury claims, employment claims and contract claims
Mediation
Lorraine is a trained mediator who can offer a bespoke service. To those interested in employment mediation services Lorraine can use her knowledge and experience in an impartial way, to support parties to get to the heart of the issues and explore a road map for resolution, rather than simply refine the differences. Lorraine can offer different types of mediation such as an Evaluative or Facilitative service.
Lorraine cannot assist in cases to be listed or likely to be heard in Birmingham West (whether face to face or remote) as she has a judicial appointment in that region
Immigration
Lorraine provides specialist advice in the areas of European law and specifically rights for workers, Nationality issues, Immigration applications both under Appendix FM and the Points based system, deportation and Human Rights and has acquired significant experience in this field.
I have had extensive experience of running a busy team of lawyers as a solicitor, and working alone and with Silks in my work as a Barrister. My work has taken me to most levels of Court and Tribunal work.
I spent five years appearing on a regular basis in the High Court in the complex and high profile case of Kimathi & Ors v The Foreign And Commonwealth Office [2018] EWHC 2066 (QB) (02 August 2018) http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/QB/2018/2066.html
My most recent appearance in the High Court is in the case of Riash, R (On the Application Of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2020] EWHC 2834 (Admin) (30 October 2020). URL: http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2020/2834.html.
Appendix FM/Section 117
Lorraine has represented a number of appellants whose claims to meet Appendix FM were rejected by the Home Office both before and after the introduction of the Section 117 Immigration Act 2014.
Points Based System
She has represented a number of appellants whose claims to meet the points based system have been refused and who have sought to tackle problems with documentation required to meet the rules.
Training
Lorraine delivers CPD training to UK firms and businesses throughout the year in all of her practice areas.
She participated as a sponsored Judge (paid for by the European Commission) to a training week in Budapest (run by the Helsinki Committee and about cross European cooperation and judicial interpretation). This was the largest gathering of Immigration Judges from across Europe.
Publications
Lorraine contributed to ‘Age Estimation in the Living, The Practitioners Guide’ 2010 (ISBN 978-0-470-51967-7).
Access
Lorraine is accredited for Direct Access.
Memberships
- Qualified as an Accredited Mediator, School of Mediation, London
- Member of Social Entitlement Chamber
- Member of Team at HJT Training, London providing training to lawyers and professionals
- Judicial Support Network
- Council of Immigration Judges
- Medico-Legal Society-Liverpool
- Member of Woman in the Law UK
Lorraine S L Mensah
Bar Council Membership No: 36916
VAT Registration: 803 5610 60
ICO: Z859903X
For further practice details of Lorraine please contact Claire Labio or Emma Wall.
